Lined food package



May 18, 1965 R. K. FRITSCHE LINED FOOD PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27, 1962 INVENTOR R/CHAFPD K FR/ 736HE ATTORNEY May 18, 1965 Filed March 27, 1962 R. K. FRITSCHE 3,184,319

LINED FOOD PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WM Mum s2 W W i0 'hlul 42 W INVENTOR R/CHARDK FH/TSCHE BYM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,184,319 LINED FOOD PACKAGE Richard K. Fritsche, Fort Thomas, Ky., assignor to The Miami Margarine Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 182,894 4 Claims. (Cl. 99-171) The present application relates to an amorphous and nonamorphous table use lined food package; the amorphous type products to be packaged being margarine, butter, or the like; and the nonamorphous products to be packaged being jelly, gelatin, peanut butter, proteinaceous foods, and the like.

In conventional butter or margarine packaging ma chinery the reciprocating principle is utilized for molding and cartoning the product. As a result, the rate of packaging production, as Well as the configuration of the package are limited. Such packaging machinery does not take advantage of the Natural Flow characteristics of margarine through sanitary type piping. Furthermore, in the case of margarine a mold is required to shape the product. Thus, different packaging machines are required for production of those styles accepted by the consumer, for example one-quarter pound Eastern style, onequarter pound Western style, one pound Elgin style and one-half pound Country Roll. Also, due to the characteristic softness of margarine, blended from the currently popular poly-unsaturated fatty acid (anti-cholesterol) oils difiiculty is encountered in cartoning and printing with reciprocating type machinery.

According to the present invention, the margarine is filled from a margarine Votator directly into a preformed and parchment lined concave top segment of the package configured in whatever style may be desired. Margarine filled in the top segment can be levelled with a striking device engaging the rim of the segment. Then, a bottom serving dish segment can be applied and mated to the top segment by the cut-out frame means disclosed in the parent application or by other sealing means to make a closed food compartment. As contrasted to the parent application, the top segment of the present package embodies a liner which may be cut or stamped from parchment grade papers, plastic or the like. Significantly, the liner prevents Wicking and consequent sticking of the food contents to the top segment upon opening of the package and, thus, facilitates direct use of the bottom segment as a serving dish. Also, the liner protects the food contents from the deleterious effects of sunlight it clear plastic is utilized in constructing the top and bottom segments and the liner may serve as a mat for printing of trademark and food ingredients as required by the Federal Drug Administration to conform to the standard of identity for margarine. According to both constructions the food compartments may be individually sealed or placed in side-by-side spaced relationship and secured by means of cut-out frames being placed over the top, bottom, and/ or top and bottom of the food compartments, said frames being bonded by heat and sealing, gluing, using pressure sensitive media, or similar means.

Accordingly, it is an object of invention to provide an amorphous and non-amorphous table use lined food package which may be filled according to the continuous line method.

Another object of invention is to provide a lined amorphous and non-amorphous food package embodying preformed food compartments which are suitable for commerce and for table service, and from which food can be readily removed.

Yet another object of invention is to provide an amorphous and non-amorphous table use food package with individual food compartments, each of which can be conveniently and effectively used as a serving dish.

Yet additional objects of invention will become apparent from the ensuing specification and attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an amorphous food package constructed by means of an inversion sequence showing four one-quarter pound food compartments secured in spaced side-by-side relationship.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective according to FIG. 1 and showing how opposed pairs of respective top and bottom segments, each having peripheral flanges are secured to each other and how said pairs of segments are secured in side-by-side relationship by means of overlaying top and bottom cut-out frames, which are bounded to each other.

FIG. 3 is a top plan of the bottom serving dish segment 16;

FIG. 4 is a top plan of parchment liner 38 prior to its insertion into top concave segment 14;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective showing the parchment liner about to be inserted in top segment 14; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section of top segment 14 and bottom segment 16 snap-fitted together.

In FIG. 1 amorphous food package 10 is illustrated as embodying separate food compartments 12 which are individually comprised of opposed top concave segment 14 and bottom serving dish segment 16. Both said top and bottom segments include at the point of their opposition peripheral flanges 18.

As indicated in FIG. 6 opposed flanges 18 are offset respectively by virtue of the abutment of top segment male channel 44 and bottom segment female channel 30. Channels 44 and 30 are substantially J-shaped in cross section and have their outer sides inclined outwardly in order to provide a readily releasable snap-fit between the segments.

Top segment channel 44 embodies an inner horizontal ledge 46 which abuts the perimeter of bottom segment medial raised portion 32. The J-shaped configuration of mating elements 44 and 30 as well as ledge 46 provide increased contact area between top and bottom segments and, therefore, an enhanced seal.

Top segment 14 may include carrying portion 52 of truncated cross section and may have at its forward end an opening tab 34 with a depressed indexing portion 36. Similarly, bottom segment 16 may have an opening tab 54 with complementally depressed index 48. Prior to filling of top segment 14, parchment or like liner 38, illustrated in FIG. 4 might be inserted. Liner 38 is composed of side sections 40, end sections 42 and top section 50. The liner 38 when inserted in top segment 14 protects the food contents from the deleterious effects of sunlight and, more importantly, substantially inhibits wicking of the food contents onto the inner wall of top segment 14. In the case of margarine and like amorphous products liner 38 thus facilitates ready removal at all temperatures of top segment 14 while leaving the margarine on the bottom segment of medial raised portion 32 ready for serving. Bottom segment may then be directly utilized as a table serving dish. Manifestly, trademarking, ingredient description and like printed matter may be applied to parchment liner 38. Also, top segment 14 may be ornamentally configured, designs, trademarks and the like may be embossed thereon and such configuration and embossing will thereby be imparted to the amorphous food filled therein.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 the individual top and bottom segments 14 and 16 are secured together and the individual food compartments 12 are secured in spaced side-by-side relationship by means of top frame 20 and bottom frame 22 which include cut-outs 26 and medial 22 overlie the individual top and 'bottom' segments and.

upon pressurization may abut each other about the peripheral flanges 18 of the pairs. of opposed segments.

Medial running members 28 may embody longitudinalperforations 24 which provide for individual tearing separation of food compartments 1-2 :from the package. 7

However, a modified version without perforations 24 may be employed, of course, whenever individual removal v, V 10.

of the food compartment .is not desirable. Opening notches 27 may be provided in bottom and top cut-out frames adjacent respective medial running members 28. Opening perforations 25, leading fromthesenotches to the sides of cut-out areas 26, may be alsoprovided to facilitate opening of the package. Manifestly, tab, tea1', strip and various other opening means may be employed.

Conventional plastic sheet material such as polystyrene, v

polyvinylcholoride," polyethylene,-or similar. plastic maybe employed in thicknesses as required for protection of the food contents. Experimentation indicates that .00075" to .0030'}v mil polystyrene stock maybe satisfactory. The various sealing frames may be of polyethylene or like plastic backed board and may be'heat sealedto each other about the peripheral flanges of the top and bottom segments'.

As will be apparent the flanges of the individual segments may be modified, liners of varying materials rnay be employed, a single overlay frame may be employed,

bonding may be by means other than heat sealing and various other modifications 'in .configurationof concave segments, overlying framing and juxtapositioningof elements may be adopted without departing, from the spirit l and scope of invention, as defined in the subjoined claims.

I- claim: a l. A foodpackage comprising:

(A) a rigid plastic serving dish segment including araised medial portion; (B) a plastic concave top segment opening downward,

ly and peripherally engaging said serving dish segment; a Y (C) food supported directly on said raised medial portion of said serving dish segment inwardly of said concavesegment, said food being selected from a group consisting of amorphous and non-amorphous products; g

(D) a removable liner surrounding saidfood, said liner being disposed only between the inner wallszof said concave segment and said food; and

(E) means sealing said segments.

.dish segments containing at their leading ends depressed opening tab portions- 3. A food package as in claim 1, said top segment being of truncated cross section and including a ledge portion overlying the medial portion of said bottom section.

4. A food' package comprising:

v (A) a plastic serving dish segment including a raised medialportio n supporting food components of said package, a J-shaped' channel surrounding said medial portion and a peripheral flange supported on said channel; V p

(B) aplastic concave top segment opening downwardly and having a peripheral flange and a J-shaped channel complementally configured with respect to the peripheral flange and channel. of said dish segment;

(C) food supported directly on said serving dish segment and disposed within said concave segment, said food being selected :from a groupconsisting of amorphous and non-amorphous type products;

(D) a removableliner surrounding said food, said liner being disposed only betweenthe inner walls of said concave segment and said food;

(E) .top and bottom complementaryframe means respectively overlying said peripheral'fiange of said con.-

, cave segmentand underlying said flange of said servf ing dish segment, said frame means engaging each a other at the peripheries of said flanges; and e (F) means bonding said frame means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS A. LOUIS MONACELL, Primary Examiner. ABRAHAM, H. WINKELSTEIN, RAYMOND N.

JONES, 1 Examiners; 

1. A FOOD PACKAGE COMPRISING: (A) A RIGID PLASTIC SERVING DISH SEGMENT INCLUDING A RAISED MEDIAL PORTION; (B) A PLASTIC CONCAVE TOP SEGMENT OPENING DOWNWARDLY AND PERIPHERALLY ENGAGING SAID SERVING DISH SEGMENT; (C) FOOD SUPPORTED DIRECTLY ON SAID RAISED MEDIAL PORTION OF SAID SERVING DISH SEGMENT INWARDLY OF SAID CONCAVE SEGMENT, SAID FOOD BEING SELECTED FROM A GROUP CONSISTING OF AMORPHOUS AND NON-AMORPHOUS PRODUCTS; (D) A REMOVABLE LINER SURROUNDING SAID FOOD, SAID LINER BEING DISPOSED ONLY BETWEEN THE INNER WALLS OF SAID CONCAVE SEGMENT AND SAID FOOD; AND (E) MEANS SEALING SAID SEGMENTS. 